# reason

Pronunciation: say "REE-zuhn" /ˈɹiːzn̩/

## Noun

1. A motive, explanation, or justification for an action, decision, or belief; the grounds someone has or gives for doing or thinking something.
   - Simple: Something that explains why someone does or thinks something, or why it is right to do it.
   - _He never explained his reason for quitting such a good job._
   - _Her reason for studying late was an exam the next morning._
2. That which causes something to happen; the direct or efficient cause.
   - Simple: The thing that directly makes something else happen.
   - _Engineers identified corrosion as the reason for the bridge's collapse._
   - _The reason for the flooding was a blocked drain under the road._
3. The capacity for rational thought, or the good sense it supplies; the mental faculties of conception, judgment, deduction, and intuition taken together.
   - Simple: The power of the mind to think clearly and make good choices.
   - _Enlightenment thinkers placed great faith in reason as a guide to truth._
   - _Panic overwhelmed his reason, and he made a rash choice._
7. A premise stated after the conclusion it supports, reversing the usual order.
   - Simple: In logic, a supporting statement that comes after the point it backs up.
   - _Here the reason follows the conclusion rather than coming before it._
   - _Writers sometimes place the reason after the statement it supports, for emphasis._

## Verb

4. To think in a logical way in order to reach a conclusion or judgment; to work something out or conclude it by reasoning.
   - Simple: To think carefully and logically in order to understand something or decide what is true.
   - _Skilled detectives reason from small clues to a firm conclusion._
   - _He reasoned that the noise must have come from the attic._
5. To argue, examine, or debate a matter by developing and presenting logical arguments, often to convince or refute someone.
   - Simple: To discuss or argue about something by giving logical reasons.
   - _In court, she would reason step by step until the opposing lawyer's argument fell apart._
   - _She reasoned skillfully, dismantling each objection in turn._
6. To use logical argument to try to persuade someone, change their mind, or overcome their objections (as in 'reason with someone', 'reason someone out of something').
   - Simple: To use sensible arguments to try to change someone's mind or make them do or stop doing something.
   - _His mentor reasoned him out of quitting school._
   - _Good negotiators can reason an opponent toward a fair deal._

## Verb

8. To support a request by providing reasons for it. *(rare)*
   - Simple: To back up a request by giving reasons for it.
10. To converse with others, comparing opinions. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To talk together and share opinions with each other.

## Noun

9. That which is reasonable or just; fairness in accordance with sound thought. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: What is fair and right, in keeping with good sense.
11. The relationship in size between two quantities; ratio or proportion. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: The size of one amount compared with another amount.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A horizontal timber set along the top of a wall to bear the ends of the rafters or joists above.

## Origin

It comes from Middle English resoun, borrowed via Anglo-Norman raisun (Old French raison) from Latin ratiō, built on ratus, the past participle of reor ("reckon"), and ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to think." It is a doublet of ration and ratio, and it displaced the native English word reden.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/reason (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).